What AV still has going for him is just what Larry Brooks wrote about: right now the Ranger's players have been their own worst enemy. If Kreider had buried a few of his chances by now, what would our record be and would AV have moved him off Zibanejad's wing? Skjei, Smith, and Shattenkirk all started poorly. Really, the only players who have been pretty much the same/good every game are Zib, Miller, and Nash.
To me, there's one move to make before the coaching change, I keep saying it, but give the kids a look. Nieves and Lettieri don't have to 'save the season' or play miraculously well. If they both use their speed to disrupt the other team and can be disruptors that help our roster buy time and not get rolled over by momentum swings off of broken plays, then we have something. At least we wouldn't be the only team on the ice f***ing simple things up all the time.
How many times have teams off to bad starts switched their fringe players with young guys succeeding as checker/scorers in the AHL and had great success? We're not talking about adding a 1C from Hartford, we're talking about a 3RW and a 4C. Pitt 2016—Khunakel, Rust, Sheary. L.A. 2012—King, Nolan, Lewis. Those are just two 'off the dome.' It happens every year. If we can't play fast without perfect precision in our puck movements and assignments, get some players who are going to play fast anyway, and we have them already, just call them up and play them.
To me, there's one move to make before the coaching change, I keep saying it, but give the kids a look. Nieves and Lettieri don't have to 'save the season' or play miraculously well. If they both use their speed to disrupt the other team and can be disruptors that help our roster buy time and not get rolled over by momentum swings off of broken plays, then we have something. At least we wouldn't be the only team on the ice f***ing simple things up all the time.
How many times have teams off to bad starts switched their fringe players with young guys succeeding as checker/scorers in the AHL and had great success? We're not talking about adding a 1C from Hartford, we're talking about a 3RW and a 4C. Pitt 2016—Khunakel, Rust, Sheary. L.A. 2012—King, Nolan, Lewis. Those are just two 'off the dome.' It happens every year. If we can't play fast without perfect precision in our puck movements and assignments, get some players who are going to play fast anyway, and we have them already, just call them up and play them.
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